Button-setting machine



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON SETTING MACHINE.

No. 403,611, Patented May 21, 1.889.

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5 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON SETTING MACHINE.

No. 403,611. Patented May 21, 1889.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

F. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON SETTING MAGHINE.

Patented Ma 21 1889.

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- -F. H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON SETTING MACHINE.

110. 403,611. o Patented May 21, 1889.

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(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 5.

' I H. RICHARDS.

BUTTON SETTING MACHINE.

No. 403,611. Patented May 21. 1889.

Suva Wot UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANCIS II. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BUT- TONFASTENER COMPANY, OF NE\V BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON-SETTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,611, dated May 21,1889.

Application filed April 16, 1888. Serial No. 270,863. (No model.) I

To (til whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Button-Setting Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machinery for attaching shank-buttons to shoesor fabrics by ent of the United States, Serial No. 2%,982,

and in the combinations hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a button-settin g machine embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same as seen from the righthand in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of the machinewith the various parts thereof in the same positions as in Fig. 1. Figs.4 and 5 are enlarged front elevations of that part of the machinecarrying the button-feedin g mechanisms, and show said in echanism intwo different positions. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the feed-wheeland set-tingdie. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the feed-wheel anddie, taken at ninety degrees from the section-line in Fig. 6 andcorresponding to a part of Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 show theconstruction and illustrate the operation of the indicator whenconstructed to be automatically withdrawn prior to setting the button.Figs. 12 and 13 show the construction and illustrate the operation of asimpler form of indicator. Fig. la is a vertical section of a part ofFig. 2, showing a means for removably holding in place thebutton-reservoir. Fig. 15 shows a portion of the driving mechanism inFig. 3, but with the parts in a different position. Fig. 16 illustratesan alternate construction of the connecting-rod 49, Fig. 3. Fig. 17 is aview of the lower side of clutch lever or arm L, Fig. 15.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

The frame of the machine, designated in a general way by A, consists ormay consist of a hollow casting, substantially as shown, adapted to besupported on a table, J, or otherwise, and to carry the several parts ofthe respective mechanisms. Said frame has bearings for a verticalpresser-slide, S, for the magazine M and for the rock-shaft R. It isalso constructed to rigidly hold the frame H of the button-feedingapparatus, which frame serves also as a head to carry the die-block B;or the concave setting-die may be formed in the head II if this is madeof proper material.

The presser-slide S is grooved on its rear face to receive the driver D,which is supposed to be the same as the driver described in my aforesaidapplication. The upper end of said slide is formed to receive the cap E,whose back cross-bar, 44, forms the rearward wall of the driver-channel4, as more fully described in United States'Patent No. 369,260, grantedto me August 30, 1887. Said slide has its lower bearing on the stud P,fixed in the frame A, and may be depressed by the driver D.

The driver I) is formed at its upper end to pass through the usualdriver-channel, as at, and may be operated by any suitable means, as theteeth of gear G, engaging with the teeth of rack V, which is fixed onthe driver. Power 8 5 may be applied to the oscillating segment Gthrough a connecting-rod from the ordinary treadle mechanism, asdescribed in United States Patent No. 311,033, granted to me J anuary20,1SS5; butI have herein shown an improved automatic mechanism foroperating said segment. This mechanism consists or may consist of ashaft, -15, on which is fixed the crank 47, and on which pulley 46 turnsfreely, to which pulley power is applied by the usual belt, 135. Poweris communicated from the pulley to the shaft by means of the clutchmechanism shown in Figs. 1, 3, 15, and 17, which consists or may consistof a dog or collar, 87, fixed to shaft 45, a clutch-arm, 110,

pivoted at 136 between cars 88 and 89 of said dog, and whose outer endis constructed to engage with the socket 140 of the arm 56 ofoscillating clutch-lever L. Said lever L is or may be actuated by thewell-known treadle through the rod 82, pivoted in arm 57 thereof. LeverL is returned from the dotted position shown at 119, Fig. 3, to itsnormal position, there shown in solid lines, by some suitable spring, as59, and may be limited in its movement by a stop-screw, 60, coming incontact with post 83 of base J The connecting-rod Q is yielding andisprovided with the following means for adjusting its length: The parts 49and 50 thereof are joined together outside of a direct line between thecenters 48 and 118, as at 52. The part 50 is provided with anadjusting-screw, 53, and check-nut v54, by which the distance betweenthe centers 48 and 118 may be increased or diminished. The screw 53 isheld against the foot of 49 by a stout spring, as 58, and power iscommunicated to the driver D through said spring. The presence of animperfect fastener in the driver-channel, or of any other similarobstruction, will cause said spring to yield,thus avoiding any unduestrains or liability to breakage. In Fig. 16 the part 50 ofconnecting-rod Q is constructed to allow the part 49 to pass through.it. Adjustment between the points 48 and 118 is made by means of thenuts 116 and 117 turning upon a threaded portion of 49. Said nuts areheld in contact with the upper. part of 50 by the spring 58 and nut 115.

The presser-slide S is moved up by the driver acting through some springsuitably arranged therefor- A preferred construction and arrang'ement ofthis feature is as follows: The slide is formed hollow to receive apushspring and a sliding plug, 19, (as shown in my said application,)and has a stop-screw,

' 17, whose point stands in a groove (not shown) formed in said .plug19. On the upward movement of the driver its projecting part 20 strikesthe lower end of plug 19, which pushes up on the spring and thus liftsthe slide S up against the button carrier or against the fabric ormaterial laid thereunder. In practice these several parts should be soproportioned and adjusted that the driver carries a fastener about tothe top of the dri'ver-chan nel before the slide is lifted. f'

Fixed in or to the upper part of frame A there is a head or bracket, H,to which the dieblock B is attached, and which is provided with a stud,30, for carrying the feed-wheel.

This die-block has formed therein the usual concave setting-die, 22,whose position is immediatelyover the driver-channel 4.

For presenting the buttons to the settingdie in proper position to beattached tothe fabric, l employ a revolving carrier or feedwheel, F,which is an improvement on that described and claimed in ,United StatesPatent No. 319,507, granted to meJune9, 1885. Thiscarrier consists ,ormay consist of a disk,

also as a stop-plate to prevent the buttons being pushed up too far bythe fabric on the presser-slide during the operation of the machine.Upon the rearward face of carrier F there is a flange or guide, N, whichlies close to and extends under the lower side of the die B. In thisflange or rim there are formed suitable spaces, openings, or pockets, as24, for receiving the shanks of buttons whose heads lie in the pockets25, that are formed in disk 15,

between the teeth 23, which teeth, in the preferred form of wheel F,extend outside of rim N. Said shank-receiving spaces or cavities 24serve the purpose of the cavity of similar outline which in my aforesaidpatent, N 0. 369,260, is shown formed in the setting-die itself. By thismeans the button-shanks are carried to positiomunder and away from thesetting-die in a very regular and certain manner. At one side of space24 there is a lateral cut or slot, 14, through which the fastener-pointpasses after it turns downward during the setting operation. Without theout 14 it would be necessary for the opening 24 to be wider on thatside. This would be objectionable, because it would take away to someextent that part of the rim N which guides the button shank or eye, andalso because such enlargement would allow the, leather or fabricto bepushed up therein, so

place during the fastener-setting operation.

The comically-formed button-reservoir K is supported on a bracket, W, onthe main frame, and has at its large end the usual front plate, 35,suitably secured thereto by screws 137. The reservoir is providedwith-an ordinary button-chute, T, leading therefrom, and within has theusual means (as, for instance, the oscillating brush 68, provided withbunches of bristles 69 69", or other devices for like purposes) fordirecting the buttons into said chute. This device may be carried oractu ated by. an oscillating shaft, 67, extending through the reservoirand having suitably affixed thereon a toothed segment, 8, engaging withthe toothed segment 7,-which latter is connected by a rod, 71, to thearm 72 of the rock-shaft B. By meansof this or other ordinaryarrangement of connections the brush has or may have imparted thereto arotary reciple.

For the purpose of actuating the feed-wheel F the following preferredarrangement of connections may be employed: The shaft (3, having thesegment 7 aflixed to its rear end, carries on the front end thereof anarm, 9, said arm having at its outer extremity a cam-roll, 10, workingin the cam-groove 11 of arm 64. The feed-wheel has thereon suitableratchetnotches, as 27, and the arm 64, pivotally supported in front ofsaid wheel, carries the pawl 28, which engages with said notches. Bythis means the rotary reciprocating movement of shaft 6 impart-s anintermittent rotary movement to the feed-wheel in a well-known manner.The shape of groove 11 is made suitable, substantially as shown, tomodify the movement of arm 04 to properly conform in time to themovement of the driver and presser slide, for it is found that thenormal movement of said arm when said groove is a straight one does notso conform.

The button-chute T, (having the usual groove, 71,) leads downward andlaterally, (unless the reservoir be located otherwise than as shown,)and terminates adjacent to the setting-die in a curved part, 75,conformin g to the button-carrier described above. In Figs. 4 and 5 thisarrangement is the more clearly shown. The groove 74 is a channel formedbetween the two ribs or sides 76 77 of the chute T. The rib 7 6terminates adjacent to the upper part of frame H, leaving space enoughat 7 8 for the passage therein of the rim 1* of the button-carrier F.The inner wall of space or channel 75 is formed by the curvedbutton-guiding edge 61 of the part ll. The rib 77 extends fartherdownward and terminates in acurved guide or button-guiding finger, 7 9,which forms the outer wall of the curved space 7 5, which space shouldin practice and as shown in Fig. at be wider than groove 7%, so that abutton-shank may lie therein outside of the rim N. This arrangement isfound to give the best results, and ordinarily avoids the clogging ofthe feed-wheel by slightly imperfect buttons. Usually a short guard,81,is formed on rib 77 at the point where the buttons are entering thefeed-wheel, for the purpose of steadying the buttons and to assist inproperly guiding their shanks into the spaces 24:. A suitable guard orchute-cover, as 90, is provided and properly arranged for holding thebuttons 91 92 from being thrown out of the chute. Before arriving atposition in readiness for attaching to a fabric the button is carried bythe feed-wheel under a spring-guide, 96, which I ordinarily attach tothe machine by screws 97. This guide serves to retain the button in thefeed-wheel at and bears firmly on the button at 95. The particularmanner in which such bearing should be made is well shown in Fig. '7.The end of spring 96 is here shown concaved and arranged to bearbackward and upward on the head of button 95, below the center thereof,thereby holding the head up into pocket 25 and the shank firmly up intospace 24, and against the underside of the setting-die B.

The button-chute groove 74, as will be seen in Fig. 4, leads out of thereservoir K at an angle, the wedge 98 lying between said groove and thecircumferential channel 99. By this arrangement the brush 69 is thefeedingbrush and (39 are the retracting-brushes.

In Figs. 2, 2, and 13 the operation of the indicator is illustrated.This device consists of an arm, 122, pivoted at 123 and normally heldagainst stop-pin 139 by the usual flat spring, 124. On said arm at 125is pivoted an arm, 120, which terminates at 121 in a point directlyunder the setting-die. The movement of arm 120 on stud 125 is limitedbythe pin 126, fixed in arm 122 and working in the hole or slot 127 inthe lower end of arm 120. The operation of this device is as follows:The shoe or fabric being properly marked to indicate the positions wherethe buttons are to be set, the arm 120 is lifted from the position shownin Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 12 when the fabric is placed under point121 thereof, one of the marks on said fabric being made to coincide withsaid point. If now slide S be moved up, point 121 of indicator Y willswing back and up and out of the path of the fastener to the positionshown in Fig. 13.

Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 illustrate an indicator arranged to operateautomatically by means of a pin, 13 1, on arm '7 2, engaging with thedepending end 130 of lever Y. The arm 120 is here provided with aprojection, 133, which steps against arm 122. The spring 132is hereshown as a spiral one laid about the hub of Y. \Vhen arm 72 moves down,forcing up slide S, point 121 is moved back by pin 131, working on cam130, as shown in Fig. 10.

The flange N has at its rear edge an internal enlargement or re-cntrantrim, 32, which takes its bearing on head H, (or on the die,) and servesto strengthen the said flange, which flange is necessarily thin, and ismuch weakened by the cutting through it of the buttonreceiving pockets.The die B fits about the stud 30, which holds said die against the headH and in engagement with the shoulder 31 thereof. This shoulder thenreceives the pressure due to the upward thrust of the driver. The arm(34 has, preferably, a hub, 62, extending within wheel F, wherebysufficient steadiness is secured without too close fitting; also, saidarm rests against the die and cannot cramp the feed-wheel between it andthe die. In practice this precaution is of considerable importance.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The usual bntton-fastenermagazine, M, and the reservoir K being properly supplied and buttons feddown in the chute to the settingdie, and the pulley 16 being set inmotion in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. l, the rod 82 isdrawn down by any suitable means, as by the treadle aforesaid, thusliftwith notch 138 in the hub of pulley 46. Shaft 45 is thereby set inmotion. Then through the crank 47, connecting-rod Q, and lever G theusual vertical reciprocating movement is imparted to the driver D.v Ifthe rod 82 be now released, the lever Lwill be returned by spring 59 toits original position, with stopscrew 60 against post 83, and arm 110will enter camway .113 of lever L, as shown in Fig. l5, and, continuingits rotation, the ear 112 will be withdrawn from notch 138 and shaft 45will come to rest, with the end of arm 110 resting and locked in socket140.

The button-fastener magazine M is I not shown'in detail in thisapplication, since it may be any magazine ordinarily used for the likepurpose. It may, for instance, be the same as that designated by M in myUnited StatesPatents No. 311,033, dated January 20, 1885, No. 319,507,dated June 9, 1885, No. 341,053, dated May 4, 1886, No. 341,054, datedMay 4, 1886, or No. 369,260, dated August 30, 1887. Any of these severalforms or constructions of the magazine are readily adaptable to use inconnection with my present improvements. Having claim- 1. In abutton-setting machine, the fixed setting-die, the presser-slide, thedriver, the

driving-crank having a fixed throw or stroke, and mechanism,substantially as described, connecting said crank and driver, saidconnecting mechanism having therein a spring arranged to yield on thefastener meetingobstructions, all substantially as described.

2. In a button-setting machine, the combination of the fixedsetting-die, the driver, the

revolving driving-crank, and mechanism, substantially as described,connecting saidcrank and driver, said connecting mechanismhaving thereina spring arranged to yield, as set forth,and having an adjustable stopregulating the normal relative positions of the crank and driver, allsubstantially as described.

3. In a button-setting machine, the combination of the head-H, thefeed-wheel F, having flange N and having the re-entrant rim 32,and thedie B, set on said head and stand:

ing within said wheel and rim, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the feed-wheel F thus described my invention, 1

and the setting-die, of the stud 30, andthefeed-arm having a hub turningon saidstu d and within said feed-wheel, the hub erlt'e'nding withinsaid wheel: tosaid die to serve as a stop, all substantiallyasdescribedf 5. The combination of head H, having shoulder 31, the dieB,.e ng aging :said shoulder, stud 30, wheel I and arm'- 64,substantially as set'forth. a i j 6. The combination, with'thefeed-wheel and die, of the arm 64, fitted'toturn said wheel relative tosaid die, and the oscillating arm 9, said arm 64 having a cam-shapedgroove,

whereby the movement thereof by said arm 9 is timed to conform tothemovement of thedriverand presser-slide, all I substantially asdescribed. a I

a 7. The combination, inf a machine of the class specified, of thefeed-wheelactuatedby arm 64, shaft 6,. having arm 9, actuating arm 64,the hopperhaving a chute'lea'din'g' to said wheel, and having; a rotaryreciprocating brush delivering buttons to saidfchute, and gears 7 and 8,said hopper beingremovably attached to the machine, and: thewholeorganized and coacting substantially as set forth, all substantially asdescribed.

8. In a button-setting machine, the'combination, with the presser-slide,of I the indicator Y, as set forth. g

9. In a button-setting machine, the combination, with presser-slide, ofthe indicator Y, formed in two parts pivoted together, substantially asset forth. d J

10. Ina button-setting machine, the 'combination, with thepresser-slide, of the indicator 120, lever 122, and a cam operating saidlever, all substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with the presser-slide and driver, of therock-shaft operatively con-. nected to actuate saiddriver'and having arm72, the indicatorpivoted' substantially as described, said armandindicator having one of them a cam and the'other' resting against saidcam, all substantially as described.

FRANCIS II, RICHARDS.

"Witnesses: I

WILBUR MSTQNE, CHARLES PEOK.

too

